The present invention relates to an apparatus for audio-visual equipment, comprising a cartridge or cassette which contains a magnetic tape for the audio or sound section and a photographic film for the video section, and a cassette reproducing device which includes means for promoting the advancement in correct time relationship of the magnetic tape and of the photographic film.
In the audio-visual apparatus of known type, the audio section is recorded on a magnetic tape stored in a suitable cassette which is inserted in an audio reproducing device, separately from the photographic film which contains frames (mono or stereo) to be projected by using another device. The separate use of the magnetic tape for the audio section and of the photographic film for the video section involves many problems, such as for instance the problem of having the audio and video sections started and changed in correct time relationship (synchronization of the audio and video), and the problem of storage, for each argument treated, of two separate elements (cassette and photographic film), which may lead to some difficulty whenever it is necessary to select for a particular argument the correct magnetic tape and the correct photographic film.
In the audio-visual apparatus according to the invention, there is provided a single cartridge or cassette which contains both the magnetic tape with the audio section recorded thereon and the photographic film with the appropriate video section, consisting of a series of mono or stereo frames. Preferably the payoff spool and the takeup spool of the magnetic tape are coaxial respectively to the payoff spool and the takeup spool of the photographic film, so that the motion to both the said tape and the said film can be imparted by coaxially arranged driving shafts engaging with their respective ends the said coaxial spools, both for the reproduction and for the rewinding. In the cassette according to the invention there is also provided a stopping device for controlling the motion of the photographic film in such a manner that the said photographic film is maintained stopped, for its projection, during the whole period of time in which there is reproduced the audio section pertaining to the particular frame being projected, and is allowed to move so as to present another frame for projection when the pertaining audio section has terminated, and a particular signal or message has been picked up from the magnetic tape for promoting, through suitable control means, the release of the said photographic film.
According to the invention, there is also provided for a playback or reproducing device, which serves for the reproduction, both for the audio and the video section, of the above mentioned cassette, and which comprises means for holding the said cassette in place, means for driving into motion the spools of the magnetic tape so as to cause same to be explored by a reproduce head, and the spools of the photographic film so as to cause same to pass along a path on which there is arranged a source of illumination for the projection of the single frames, and control means for actuating the above mentioned stopping device for the photographic film provided on the cassette.
The above and other features and advantages of the invention will appear evident from the following description thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.